Along with hosting the fest, Jeffrey Lyons will help program individual screening titles and honorees at the awards tribute.

“We couldn’t be happier having Jeffrey back as host of this year’s festival, with his son Ben joining him again as well,” said festival chairman Dale Strack in a statement. “Ben is a well-respected journalist with far reaching connections in the industry, and Jeffrey never fails to amaze me and our audiences with his depth of knowledge and experiences. Together they have a great dynamic that adds to the uniqueness of the festival.”

The San Diego Film Festival will begin announcing the film lineup on Sept. 1. The fest takes place Sept. 24-28 in San Diego and La Jolla.